cary999

christabir- thanks, $200 or so pppn is very reasonable, great value.

regards - tom

christabir

That's a lot of travel. No Kruger NP?! Do Sabi Sands, Vic Falls and Chobe and/or Moremi in Botswana. It's the best way to go if you really want to do both Vic Falls and the Private Game Reserves around Kruger and Vic Falls.

I saw Devil's Pool in Vic Falls - just didn't do anything for me to want to try it. It's just a protected rock pool on the edge of the falls. The falls are pretty empty in Sept, so it's not that spectacular. I'd like to go again sometime when it's full or at least a trickle.

cristeen

christabir- Maybe I'm not understanding the reserves properly. Isn't Sabi Sands adjacent to Kruger? Wouldn't touring there be much like touring Kruger NP but with the private reserve? I would like to see Chobe, too. I just don't know if it will fit into our schedule and budget. I'd like to take a picture of Vic Falls over the edge from Devil's pool. It looks amazing. I don't know. Maybe I'll be disappointed. I guess I won't know until I go. This is all still very much up in the air. It's really moving our trip up quickly. At least I have my researching that I did a few months ago and you guys!!
Thanks for your suggestions. They are much appreciated.

ovenbird

christabir, we did see a few mother rhinos with young in Kruger...so very cute! Our first day in Kruger we saw a total of 18 rhino, including a road block of 4 adults. They weren't going to budge so we turned around and did a different road.

The Canon 100-400mm lens issues seem to be known problems, although we didn't know until Dave's lens stopped working in the Brazilian Pantanal. He was able to get it working well enough at 400mm, but no downward zoom for the rest of the trip. The ball bearings scored the barrel of the lens before they all fell out. These are a few links to what others had experienced:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...ssage=33643073

http://www.pointsinfocus.com/2010/03...5-5-6l-is-usm/

http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=31666

Maybe Canon can fix your husband's lens without it costing an arm and leg. Dave's was too far gone and he decided it needed a DNR order. He loved that lens...he ended up selling the DNR one on eBay for parts and purchasing another.

Good luck!

christabir

Thank you for the info. And that's quite a few tons of rhino!

cary999

"Wouldn't touring there be much like touring Kruger NP but with the private reserve?"

The terrain, low bushveld, is very similar Kruger and Sabi Sand. I love both. They are different experiences. If you want to know why I love Kruger go up to my posting, about 11 posts up. If you have to -choose- between the two, go with the Sabi Sand. In Sabi Sand you will see the big five three ways - up close, personal, and often.

regards - tom

christabir

At a private game reserve, you get taken care of. You are in an open vehicle with an experienced game ranger who has more info in his head than you ever thought possible and knows how to find and spot game. It's a must- do experience. You get meals and everything is provided. At Kruger, like our national parks, you're on your own. I had been on 40 or so game drives before we went to Kruger so we knew a lot before we did it on our own.

Chobe is very close to Vic Falls. Hwange is close, too. If you are going to make the trip all the way to Vic Falls then you should do something else while you're there. That's a pretty expensive photo op.

Not knowing time or budget, it's tough to give recs. No less than ten days, I hope.

cristeen

Thank you both! I am sorry. It seems I have gone and hijacked your thread! Should I continue with my questions elsewhere? I do have a few more. I received an intinerary from a a TA but it's not at all what I want. I am very conflicted on the whole Vic. Falls thing. We are looking at 12 days or so. This will be our 1st visit.

christabir

You should post questions and the itinerary on a new thread to get more responses. No worries.

cristeen

I will post a new thread. Thank you. Sorry I got all off track. Let's re-route--
I love this report. You have me positively sold on Kruger.
Love your videos. I've watched them all several times!
Will you also be posting pictures? I'l love to see them.
So glad you had such a wonderful trip.

atravelynn

In addition to everything you saw, you had a hippo on wheels.

Didn't know you were such golf fans, Christabir.

christabir

Hee hee - hippo on land, hippo on wheels... hippo in living room (scaring the dog).

My husband loves to play golf, and I love that he plays. The helicopter thing was just one of those things he "had to do" - and it worked out well as we really enjoyed Entabeni.

christabir

I weeded down some pictures and added the videos to this site:

http://bobandchristasafrica2011.shutterfly.com/pictures

cristeen

Love your pictures! Those male Nyala are very nice! And that big male lion in Kruger! So close to you! Love them! Thanks for posting! I can finally almost imagine myself seeing them, too!

atravelynn

Battling cheetahs, I assume they were just wrestling. You photographed the Hoopoe! Impressive line of eles.

Hope your dog has recovered from fright, Christabir.

Pegsimba

I am just now reading this entire thread. Wonderful trip report and pictures! I am starting to plan my first trip for Nov, 2012. Only thing set so far is a week in timeshre in Hazyview (almost free week) so we can drive Kruger and explore some of Panoramic route. I am also planning to spend three nights at Shindzela. Have read great reviews on tripadvisor. Can you add anything about your experience there? What type of game vehicles did they use? We would plan to do that before our week on our own (as you advised). Still need to decide about resot of trip - Capetown for sure and likely Victoria Falls and Chobe. Love this forum!

christabir

Pegsimba- thanks. Our trip was such fun.

Try to get to the Kruger gate when it opens in the AM. Best game viewing is early and late. We loved Kruger. Shindzela is very rustic. One light and a floor fan. There are other camps in the price range that I would consider. They do have the optimal game viewing vehicles (stadium seating and no canopy) and their rangers are top notch. The traversing rights are very small - on the Kruger border next to Ngala, so it's an excellent location. We were just unlucky. Food is excellent.

The rain starts and it's hot in November, so be prepared.

Have fun planning! I'm already planning the next one.

ShayTay

I'll be at Shindzela in October; hopefully I'll have better luck. Windy conditions often put a damper on game viewing.